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Chris Spiker

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cspiker@dailyvoice.com

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News
Earn Your Scroll: Walking Unlocks Social Media With Boston Entrepreneur's New App Earn Your Scroll: Walking Unlocks Social Media With Boston Entrepreneur's New App
Earn Your Scroll: Walking Unlocks Social Media With Boston Entrepreneur's New App A new app is fighting against doomscrolling and helping users get active by turning steps into screen time. Steppin' blocks you from using certain apps unless you walk a certain number of daily steps. The app was founded by Boston entrepreneur Paul English, who's also a co-founder of travel search engine Kayak.com. Steppin' rewards physical activity by tying screen time to movement. For every 100 steps, users earn one minute of access to restricted apps, including social media apps like Facebook and Instagram, as well as other platforms like Netflix. The app's settings are fully …

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by Chris Spiker
News
MA Among Five Most-Expensive States For Smokers, New Study Says MA Among Five Most-Expensive States For Smokers, New Study Says
MA Among Five Most-Expensive States For Smokers, New Study Says Northeast and mid-Atlantic states are among the most expensive in the U.S. for smoking tobacco, according to a new study. New York topped the 2025 list from WalletHub called "The Real Cost of Smoking by State", with residents losing an estimated $5.4 million over their lifetime. Washington, D.C., Maryland, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island were also ranked in the top five. The study calculated smoking-related costs by combining out-of-pocket expenses, lost income, increased insurance premiums, and missed financial opportunities, such as investing in the stock market instead of …

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Equifax Fined $15M For Inaccurate Credit Scores, Mishandling Disputes: CFPB Equifax Fined $15M For Inaccurate Credit Scores, Mishandling Disputes: CFPB
Equifax Fined $15M For Inaccurate Credit Scores, Mishandling Disputes: Cfpb One of the nation’s largest credit reporting agencies has been fined $15 million for issuing inaccurate credit scores and failing to properly investigate consumer disputes, officials said. Equifax will pay the fine into the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's victims relief fund, the federal agency said in a news release on Friday, Jan. 17. The CFPB's investigation found Equifax ignored critical evidence submitted by consumers disputing inaccuracies in their credit reports. According to the CFPB, Equifax also allowed deleted errors to resurface and relied on flaw…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Cash App Users To Get Refunds In $175M Order As Feds Target Fraud Cash App Users To Get Refunds In $175M Order As Feds Target Fraud
Cash App Users To Get Refunds In $175M Order As Feds Target Fraud Cash App's parent company will have to pay $175 million for poorly protecting its users from fraud and financial crimes on the payment platform, officials said. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ordered Block to refund up to $120 million to users harmed by fraud, the federal agency said in a news release on Thursday, Jan. 16. The parent company of Cash App, which has more than 56 million accounts, must also pay a $55 million fine into the CFPB’s victims relief fund. The CFPB found that Block failed to properly investigate unauthorized transactions and deprived users of…

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by Chris Spiker
News
Supreme Court Upholds TikTok Ban: How The App Could Survive In The U.S. Supreme Court Upholds TikTok Ban: How The App Could Survive In The U.S.
Supreme Court Upholds TikTok Ban: How The App Could Survive In The U.S. The Supreme Court has upheld a new law that could ban TikTok in the U.S. unless its Chinese parent company divests from the very popular video-sharing social media app. The justices said the "Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act" doesn't violate the First Amendment, according to the court's decision on Friday, Jan. 17. The ruling allows for TikTok to potentially be banned in the U.S. as early as Sunday, Jan. 19. TikTok, which has more than 170 million users in the U.S., has come under scrutiny over fears that ByteDance could allow the Chinese gov…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Microsoft 365 Raises Prices For First Time In 12 Years: Here's Why Microsoft 365 Raises Prices For First Time In 12 Years: Here's Why
Microsoft 365 Raises Prices For First Time In 12 Years: Here's Why The Microsoft 365 bundle price is increasing in the U.S. for the first time in a dozen years as the tech giant adds artificial intelligence tools into longtime products like Microsoft Word. The cost of Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscriptions will rise by $3 per month, the company said in a blog post on Thursday, Jan. 16. It's the first price change since the software bundle launched in 2013 under the name "Office 365". Existing subscribers will see the adjustment at their next renewal. "We understand that our customers have a variety of needs and budgets, so we’re committ…

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by Chris Spiker
News
FDA Approves ZYN Nicotine Pouches For Sale, Restricts Ads Targeting Teens FDA Approves ZYN Nicotine Pouches For Sale, Restricts Ads Targeting Teens
FDA Approves ZYN Nicotine Pouches For Sale, Restricts Ads Targeting Teens The Food and Drug Administration has authorized the sales of 20 types of ZYN nicotine pouches amid concerns about children and teens using the products. The decision allows ZYN nicotine pouches to be legally marketed in the U.S. to adults aged 21 and older, the FDA said in a news release on Thursday, Jan. 6. The small natural fiber pouches are designed to be placed between the gum and lip. The FDA said the pouches contain substantially lower levels of harmful chemicals compared to cigarettes and most smokeless tobacco products, reducing risks of cancer and other serious …

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by Chris Spiker
Business
American Express To Pay $230M For Misleading Small Business Customers American Express To Pay $230M For Misleading Small Business Customers
American Express To Pay $230M For Misleading Small Business Customers American Express said it will pay $230 million to resolve federal investigations into deceptive sales tactics and recordkeeping violations involving small business credit card and wire transfer products. The credit card company agreed to pay a $108.7 million civil penalty, the Department of Justice said in a news release on Thursday, Jan. 16. The settlement resolved claims against American Express of deceptive marketing and "dummy" account information. American Express was accused of engaging in unlawful sales tactics and falsifying records between 2014 and 2021. "When financial companies …

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Elevated Dining: New Upscale Restaurant With Skyline Views Opens In Hartford Elevated Dining: New Upscale Restaurant With Skyline Views Opens In Hartford
Elevated Dining: New Upscale Restaurant With Skyline Views Opens In Hartford A new restaurant will allow guests to enjoy a fine dining experience high above Connecticut's capital city. The Foundry is opening on the 20th floor of the One State Street building on Thursday, Jan. 16. The high-end restaurant has taken over the former space of ON20, which closed in 2020. The Foundry combines contemporary American seasonal cuisine with panoramic views of the city. According to its website, the restaurant will use high-quality and sustainable ingredients from across New England. View this post on Instagram A post sh…

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by Chris Spiker
Sports
Legendary MLB Voice Bob Uecker Dies At 90 Years Old: 'He Was A National Treasure' Legendary MLB Voice Bob Uecker Dies At 90 Years Old: 'He Was A National Treasure'
Legendary MLB Voice Bob Uecker Dies At 90 Years Old: 'He Was A National Treasure' The baseball world is mourning the death of Bob Uecker, an iconic broadcaster whose smooth voice helped him rise to Hollywood stardom. Uecker, 90, died at his home early in the morning on Thursday, Jan. 16, the Milwaukee Brewers and Major League Baseball said. The baseball hall-of-famer was the Brewers' primary broadcaster since 1971 and became synonymous with summer for generations of Milwaukee fans. Uecker's family said he quietly battled small cell lung cancer since early 2023. "Even in the face of this challenge, his enthusiasm for life was always present, never allowing his spiri…

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by Chris Spiker
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